Biography
This page uses content from the Tyler Perry biography page on the English version of Wikipedia and is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. This list of authors can be seen in the page history. Rotten Tomatoes disclaims any and all warranties as to the accuracy or reliability of the content.
Tyler Perry (born September 13, 1969 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is an American playwright and actor.
Early life
Perry was one of four children. His childhood in New Orleans was marked by poverty and physical abuse. Perry once blamed his lack of success on his parents and others. He was once homeless and lived in his car for six months.
After years of intense anger and deep resentment, Perry experienced an awakening. One day while he was watching The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1992, he took some advice—it can be cathartic to put feelings down on paper. So Perry began writing letters to deal with his painful childhood. These letters eventually became his plays.
When Perry's work failed at the box office and was left penniless, he blamed others. Perry is now said to have found that because he had allowed so much anger from his turbulent past to build inside of him, he always found a way to self-sabotage his ventures.
Perry eventually confronted his abusers and took responsibility for his previous failures. His perception of his own writing changed, and he came to terms with his past.
Career
Theater
Perry's first foray into writing was in 1992, when he began writing a journal, in part to cope with the repercussions of abuse. He was inspired to begin a journal after watching The Oprah Winfrey Show.
He developed different characters to voice different ideas in the journal. This work eventually became the musical I Know I've Been Changed, about adult survivors of child abuse.
Perry saved $12,000, moved to Atlanta in 1992, and tried to stage the play. It was not a success and over the next six years, he struggled living in Atlanta and he was homeless, but he persevered until the play finally had a successful run in 1998, first at the House of Blues and later at the Fox Theatre.
His following play, a staging of Bishop T.D. Jakes book Woman Thou Art Loosed, was an immediate hit, grossing over $5 million in five months. [1] A film version was later created starring Kimberly Elise and Loretta Devine, was released in theaters on October 4, 2004.
Perry, whose work is aimed at a primarily African-American audience, ultimately created a successful touring theater company. Recordings of some plays were subsequently sold on video and DVD. As of March 2005, Perry's plays had grossed over $75 million in ticket and DVD sales. Perry's success is notable as his theater company did not have substantial publicity or corporate backing, and most of his patrons were from the urban theater audience.
Perry stated in a January 2004 interview in Ebony magazine that his theater productions were designed to be a bridge between the traditional urban theater circuit - historically and pejoratively referred to as the "chitlin' circuit" - and a more traditional theater format. [2]
Perry's other highly successful plays include Diary of a Mad Black Woman, I Can Do Bad All By Myself, Madea's Family Reunion and Madea's Class Reunion. He also wrote and created the hit plays Why Did I Get Married featuring R&B singer Kelly Price and Meet the Browns (Perry did not appear in either production). In 2005, Perry returned to the stage with another successful hit, Madea Goes to Jail.
Film
His first movie, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, produced on a budget of under $5 million, became an unexpected hit, prompting widespread discussion among industry watchers about whether middle-class African Americans were simply not being addressed by mainstream Hollywood movies.
On opening weekend, February 24, 2006 Perry's film version of Madea's Family Reunion opened at number one with $30 million, more than triple the amount it cost to make.
His next project for Lionsgate Entertainment, Daddy's Little Girls, starring Gabrielle Union, is currently in production.
Books
Perry's first novel, Don't Make a Black Woman Take Her Earrings Off: Madea's Commentaries on Love and Life, hit bookstores last April 11, 2006. The book is written from Madea's point of view, and offers commentary about love, relationships, and family. In its first five days in stores, the book sold more than 25,000 copies to send it up The Book Standard's Nielsen BookScan charts. [3] The hardcover hit Number One on the New York Times Best Seller list and stayed on the list for twelve weeks. It was voted the Book of the Year and Best Humor Book at the 2006 Quill Awards.
Television
Currently, he has created a new series entitled, Tyler Perry's House of Payne, which in now being shown in first-run syndication.
Perry's themes
Several recurring narrative themes surface in Perry's work. In nearly all of his plays and films, the male antagonist is always wealthy, while the lead male hero is usually of modest means. In several of the works, the female protagonist is torn between the "good guy" and the "bad guy".
He also shares with his viewers the theme of forgiveness. "While you're losing sleep being mad at them... they are sleeping peacefully". Tyler continues to share his Christian beliefs with audience members and fans. He believes God blessed him and wants to share the faith.
The recurring character of Mabel "Madea" Simmons, referred to as "Madea", surfaces in many of Perry's work. Perry portrays Madea in his plays and films. Perry based Madea on an aunt who lives in Houston, as well as his mother, according to Perry himself. In Madea's appearances, she dispenses wisdom in a "no-nonsense manner," and is usually involved in physical comedy and/or a sight gag. The nickname "Madea" comes from a Southern African American contraction of the words "mother dear", which is commonly used as a term of affection. It is also used as a reference to a great-grandmother.
External links
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